


McCall's Cafe

by sharmanat0r



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Coffeeshop AU, Fluff, M/M, Scisaac - Freeform, lil cuties
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-25
Updated: 2013-10-13
Packaged: 2017-12-24 14:18:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/940983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sharmanat0r/pseuds/sharmanat0r
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Isaac can't handle his anxiety and Scott just wants to make people happy, especially Isaac Lahey.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You're Not Going To Cry

**Author's Note:**

> I definitely want to continue this, so just drop a comment or a kudos or whatever if you care to read more. :)

_You're not going to cry. You are_ not _going to fucking cry._

 _  
_Isaac Lahey could tell himself this exact phrase a thousand times over and still have trouble listening to himself. And that was the only advice he had ever really gotten. He had no idea how to deal with this constant thrum of thoughts and worries that cluttered his mind. Nobody had ever cared enough to just _talk_ to him. The thought of asking his father had never once crossed his mind. His brother wouldn't give a shit, as usual. 

And his mother... well, she wasn't exactly available.

The night was cold and he hadn't even bothered to grab something of substantial warmth. He shivered as he crossed the mostly deserted street. He noticed something new, something that he had never noticed before on his late night walks.

_McCall's Cafe._

A boy about his age stood on a ladder, adjusting the sign above the doorway. 

"Okay, mom! It looks good! Hopefully that shithead won't mess-" The boy made his descent and stopped at the bottom, jumping when he saw Isaac, who must have been staring on accident.

"Woah! Didn't see you there." The boy said, his smile something that could illuminate the darkest realms of the universe. Isaac forgot how to breathe for a second and nodded quickly, turning quickly to walk away.

"Hey! Wait!" 

But Isaac didn't stop. He was short on breath, still reeling from that luminous grin. God, why did he have to worry about everything? He was just a boy, after all. A  _nice_ boy. 

He made his way around town, glancing at the closed signs and occasional stranger. Eventually, he came back to the cafe, his heart thudding. The boy was no longer there. While Isaac was relieved, he couldn't ignore the pang of regret that coursed through him. 

\---------------------

Isaac neglected his nightly walks for about week before curiosity overtook him. He wanted to at least see the boy from the cafe again. He wasn't sure why it was so important, but he knew that his mind would not give up the subject until he did. 

This time he hoped he could gather the courage to say "hello" back.

The first time he passed the cafe, he saw nobody. Should he go in? No, he couldn't possibly do that. That would possibly involve interaction with more than one person.

The third or fourth time he passed the cafe (he wasn't sure anymore), he saw the boy at the counter.

_Just do it, Lahey. For once in your life, do something so you won't regret not doing it later._

He took a deep breath and walked in, the warmth of the place catching him by surprise. It wasn't the temperature, exactly, but moreso the atmosphere of the place. He had never felt so welcome. 

The shaking in his hands seemed to subside as well as the hammering of his heart. 

"Hello!"

_Shit, when did my knees start shaking?_

"H-hey." Isaac said, trying not to stutter too horribly. He glanced at the name tag on the boy's apron.  _Scott._

"What can I get you?" Scott asked, his voice oddly calming yet cheerful. 

"Just a black coffee, please." Isaac said, awfully proud of himself for forming a whole sentence. Well, kind of.

"One black coffee, coming right up!" Scott said as he grabbed a cup and a marker. He hadn't even asked for Isaac's name, so it struck him as odd that he was writing something on it.

"Here ya go." Scott said as he pushed it across the counter. Isaac looked at the cup and felt his cheeks growing warm, but he smiled. Smiling was something he rarely did. Like, ever.

 _This one's on me._ :)

"Wow... I mean, thanks. But I can... I can pay for it, it's fine." Isaac said, feeling flustered. 

"I see you're not used to people doing nice things for you." Scott said, laughing softly.

"I, uh, um..." Isaac felt strangled. "What?" He asked, feeling dizzy. Scott's expression grew worried.

"You okay?" He walked around the counter. "Maybe you should sit down, you look really pale." Scott said, reaching to put a hand on Isaac's shoulder. Something in Isaac reacted, however, causing him to bump into a table and spill scalding coffee all over his hands. 

 _Don't you fucking cry. Don't you fucking cry. Don't you fucking_ cry.

The pain in his hands was staggering and he didn't even realize Scott was guiding him to the kitchen.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry! Christ, are you okay? I'm so sorry!" 

Everything sounded like it was covered in plastic wrap. Muffled.

Reality didn't set back in until he felt cool water running down his hands. He looked at Scott and his heart twisted. Scott's face was a mixture of worry and guilt that he definitely didn't deserve.

"It's... okay... It was my... fault." Isaac said, cursing himself for not being able to catch his breath. 

"No, geez, I shouldn't have... fucking tried to grab you." Scott's voice sounded strained. The cold water was slowly bringing him back to the surface.

"That feels nice..." Isaac said. This was odd for him, really. He never let anyone touch him for more than thirty seconds, if that. This time was different. In fact, he found himself leaning into Scott, his stability so comforting he thought he may end up crying anyway. "Thank you..." He said, his voice shaking slightly.

"Oh my god, it's not a problem at all. Thank you for not, like, punching me in the face though." Scott said, taking his time in messaging Isaac's fingers. With anyone else, Isaac would have found it weird and he definitely wouldn't have liked it or let it continue. But not for this random barista boy. 

"What the hell?" 

Isaac felt like he was about to jump out of his skin, but he didn't jerk away from Scott. In fact, he unconsciously leaned into him more.

"Mom!"

"Good lord, Scott. The one time I leave you alone for one shift and you injure a customer." 

There was no mistaking that the woman opposite them was Scott's mom. Her eyes were just like his. Isaac couldn't help but stare, for Melissa McCall was something to behold. Hands on her hips, she looked like she could make the wrath of a thousand suns rain down on her son. 

"Oh no! It wasn't his fault. Mine." Isaac said quickly before Scott even had the chance to defend himself. Although, he suspected he would have taken the full blame as well.

"Fault aside, are you okay?" She asked, coming over to the sink and looking over his hands.

"They feel fine now." Isaac said, feeling suddenly claustrophobic. Scott had been enough. Not that his mother wasn't equally as warm, but he wasn't used to people... caring about him. 

"They'll probably be sore, but it's just coffee." Melissa said. Isaac was silently thankful she hadn't tried to hug him or something. "I've got something that'll be good for it though." She said, smiling and walking to the blenders in the front. 

"Well, that's the last time I try to be cute via writing on coffee cups." Scott sighed, sounding genuinely upset. 

"If it's any consolation, it was appreciated." Isaac replied softly, looking at his red hands. 

"Ugh, don't try to be nice." Scott said, offering him a small smile that made Isaac melt a little more. "We usually don't get, uh, patrons this late at night that are worth signing cups for, y'know? I guess some things aren't meant to be." 

"I'm flattered." Isaac said, feeling at ease for the first time in a long time. He had even forgotten about how his dad would react to him being out so late on a school night. Scott opened his mouth, but was cut off.

"One strawberry smoothie." Melissa said, presenting Isaac with just that.

"Are you guys going to let me pay for anything?" Isaac asked, the cup blissfully cool against his hot fingertips. 

"Certainly not!" Melissa and Scott said in unison. Isaac couldn't help but laugh.

Scott followed him out the door when he left, a question hanging in the air. 

"I hope I didn't scare you off for good..." Scott said bashfully, looking down at his feet.

"Nah. Your mom's smoothies are too kickass." Isaac offered, wondering where this new found courage to talk like a normal person was coming from. He wasn't really worried. He was going to enjoy it while it lasted. 

"Good." Scott said, leaving the word hanging as if there was more to the sentence. "I'll, um, see you around?" 

"Yeah... yeah, most likely. I walk here a lot." Isaac said.

"I've noticed, yeah. I mean, not in a creepy way, y'know. Just, I've seen you around... Okay, I'm shutting up now. G'night..." He realized he had never even caught his name.

"Isaac." He replied.

"Isaac." Scott said, testing it out. "Isaac, yeah. G'night, Isaac." 

Isaac wasn't sure if he'd ever seen somebody so happy about a name in his life.

 

 

 


	2. Dinosaurs. Now.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isaac finds it's not so bad to let people in sometimes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got some good feedback on the last chapter, so I hope you guys enjoy this one just as much. :)

Fall nights had never felt quite so warm. 

Isaac hadn't been back to the cafe since the last encounter. But every once in a while, he would pass by and see Scott at the counter. Sometimes Scott would see him. And the first time, he tried to get to the door, but a customer was occupying him. Isaac wasn't too upset. He preferred to admire him from afar, really. Just the idea that he was there was comforting. The idea that he knew  _his_ name. 

Although, there were nights when he longed to walk into the cafe and talk to Scott. Sometimes the urge pulled on him so much, it was nearly unbearable. But he kept his distance. He was comfortable around Scott, but not quite comfortable enought to actually initiate something.

It was around mid-October when Isaac finally talked to him again. Scott was wiping down the counter within when he saw Isaac pass by. Usually, Scott would smile like the cutie he was and maybe wave, looking a little longingly as he nodded and smiled back. But this time, nobody was there to stop him from leaping over the counter and running to the door.

The door opened with a  _whoosh_ and warm air hit Isaac like a blanket. Scott sucked in a breath before speaking.

"Hi." He said, shivering and holding himself when he realized how cold it was outside. "Cold night." He added. Isaac's mouth felt dry and his heart hammered, but he wasn't  _scared_ like he normally would have beena around anyone even mildly attractive. And Scott was far beyond mild. 

"A bit nippy, yeah." Isaac said, watching his breath come out in puffs. 

"I, um, I made some hot chocolate... if you wanna, you know, come in and... drink it... with me?" Scott asked, his eyes so gut-wrenchingly wide and doe-like. 

_Fuck, I could never say no to you._

"I would like that, actually." Isaac said before his mind even had time to process this information. He supposed his subconscious mind was just waiting for an excuse to be around that lovely boy. 

Scott looked elated and looked as if he wanted to grab Isaac's hand, but he refrained. And the odd thing was, Isaac had almost wished he hadn't.

\-----------------------------------

"Okay, this is the best hot chocolate I've ever had." Isaac said, feeling full from the rich mixture. Scott grinned and looked a little proud of himself.

"It's actually my recipe." He said bashfully, looking down at the melted marshmallows still at the bottom of his mug.

"No shit?" Isaac asked.

"I shit you not." Scott said, laughing.

"That's really cool. I mean, I can't do anything. You could be, like, a master mixologist or something."

"Eh, more like a master barista, but that's close enough." Scott said. He tilted his head and squinted. "I'm sure you're good at  _something._ " He retorted.

"Um... I guess, I don't know... I like art a lot." He said, his grip tightening on the mug. "That sounds dumb."

"Hell no, man! Art is the shit! Everyone should be hyped about art." Scott vehemently disagreed. "Who ever gave you the idea that it was dumb?" He asked softly. He almost sounded terrified that anyone would put Isaac down. If he was, he was in for a big surprise at one point or another.

Isaac bit his lip, and looked down at the mug's contents.

_You think art will pay the bills? You think a stupid pasttime will get you anywhere in life? You're not even good! Why do you even bother? Son, let me tell you a thing or two about what you should be giving a fuck about._

Isaac felt his heart pounding hard as his father's words rushed over him. _Just block him out. Just block him out. He can't get you here._

Scott must have noticed the pained expression on his face, for he felt a hand on his. It was just the smallest of touches, but it took away the thoughts immediately.

"Hey." He started. "It's okay." And Isaac really did want to believe him. He almost  _did_ , in fact. He didn't even shy away from his touch.

"My dad's just a dick." Isaac said softly. To his surprise, the words leaving his mouth was like a weight being lifted off his shoulders. He felt like he could breathe for once. He had never really had a friend to talk to about his dad. His brother was never even around. When he was, it was to borrow money and buddy up with ol' dad like they were best friends and he was "Son of the Year" when he was really just following in his father's footsteps. 

"We don't have to talk about feelings or anything, but I know a thing or two about dick dads." Scott said, offering a small smile. He ran his thumb across the top of Isaac's hand before putting his hand back on his mug. His cheeks were slightly pink and Isaac's own face felt warm. "When I was about ten, he just kind of left us. Before that, he would yell at my mom a lot. He never touched her, but I had my suspicions. And it was like I didn't exist. And when he did notice me, it was never to tell me anything great. At the time, it felt so wrong that he would just leave us. But now, I'm kind of glad he did. Because we got to start something we love and we don't need his dumb opinion on it. Just because he's my biological parent doesn't make him my dad." He said. Isaac couldn't help but smile at the bravado and certainty in Scott's voice. And also the way his nose scrunched up. And the way he talked with his hands...

"Too much for the first date?" Scott asked, running a hand through his hair. "I mean, uh, not a date. That's not what I meant! Not that I would  _mind_  going on a date- Okay, I'm sorry. I'm shutting up." He looked down at the table and Isaac could just picture him as a puppy with his tail between his legs. 

"If that's so, this is my first date." Isaac said, feeling warm inside.

"You're such a liar, no way!" Scott said, leaning over the table. Isaac just smiled. "That's such bullshit." Scott squinted. "I'm onto you. You play all innocent, blue-eyed boy who gets free smoothies and hot chocolate then you pounce!" Isaac was in tears from laughing so hard. He was fairly certain he'd never laughed so hard in his existence. 

"Yes... you got... me." He tried to say through giggles. 

"See, I know what I'm talking about, Isaac. Don't doubt by observation skills." Scott said, staying straight faced, which only made Isaac laugh more. When he could finally breathe again, he looked at Scott and was surprised to see that he looked... awed. 

"What?" Isaac asked, touching his lips absent-mindedly. "Do I have a hot chocolate-stache?" He asked. He could have sworn Scott actually  _sighed._

"Nah, you just have, like, the best smile in the world. No biggie." 

\-----------------------------------------------------

Isaac was on cloud nine. 

Sure, nothing had happened between he and Scott McCall at all, but he considered him to be his first real friend. It was a concept that had eluded him for so long, he wasn't even sure how to act. But being around Scott was like second nature. It was like he was a piece he'd been missing for so long and he had finally found it. He felt somewhat whole for the first time in his life. 

He visited the cheery barista most every evening. He'd take his sketch book and sit in the corner booth until he was done with his shift. Then they would talk. And talk. And  _talk._

Scott would always try to look at Isaac's drawings, but he never let him. He knew Scott would faun over them and tell him they were lovely, but that ever-present anxiety crept in the back of his mind.

_He'll think you're a joke._

_What would he say about that dumb sketch you did of_ him?

_That would really reel him in, Lahey. I'm sure he loves psycho stalker boys._

He just wanted to scream  _shut up._

But he never did. And he never had to fight Scott for long. Scott understood even though he truly didn't.

"Wait, wait! Hold up: You've never seen _Jurassic Park_?" Scott asked, aghast. 

"There are probably a lot of movies I've never seen." Isaac said, laughing.

"But,  _Isaac._ This is  _the best movie._ " Scott said, acting like he was going to go into cardiac arrest. "We need to go watch it  _right now._ "

"You're ridiculous." 

" _Isaac. Dinosaurs. Now."_  

"Don't you have to work?" 

"We hired a new guy, so I have like two hours until my next shift. AKA, enough time to watch  _Jurassic Park,_ dammit!" Scott said, standing up quickly and practically dragging Isaac to the back of the cafe. They had a break room of sorts with a lumpy, old couch and a TV. But that wasn't the best part. 

"How many movies do you  _have?_ " Isaac asked, gaping at the wall of movies.

"Um, around... a lot." Scott said, picking out his target movie from the wall of DVDs. He rubbed the case on Isaac fervently.

"Can you feel it? Can you  _feel_ the dinosaurs, Isaac?" Scott asked.

"Oh my  _God._ Why do I hang out with you again?" 

"You love me, duh." Scott said idly as he put the movie in. Isaac didn't respond. He sat on the couch and pushed his thoughts away as Scott turned back and flopped down next to him.

"This better not be disappointing." Isaac said with mock snobbery.

"Shhh... this is gonna be the best day of your life." Scott said, unconsciously tapping Isaac's arm and running his fingers down it. 

Isaac couldn't say he disagreed with him.


	3. Transformer Band-Aids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isaac never imagined he'd have a reason to fight back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are so nice with your comments! Hope you enjoy this chapter. 
> 
> Warning: Abuse/mention of suicide may be triggering for some

Undoubtedly, the best feeling in the world for Isaac Lahey was having a clear mind. This didn't happen often. In fact, he couldn't remember if he had ever really had a clear mind before this day. 

With his head on Scott's shoulder, eyes heavy, he felt as if nothing in the whole world mattered anymore. Proximity usually bothered him. He hated hugs and cuddling. But Scott was much different. He  _wanted_ to be next to Scott all the time. He needed his warmth and vitality to make sense of things he couldn't before. He was the first person, other than his mother, that had ever made him feel truly safe.

He had to admit, it was tough getting through  _Jurassic Park._  He did love it, but he was so  _tired._ Sleep had finally found him and it just had to be now. 

He made it through most of the movie due to Scott's commentary. He would laugh to let him know he was still awake. But near the end, he just couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. And Scott did not try to prod him awake. He felt an arm around him and a gentle squeeze. 

When he awoke, he was lying on the couch alone. Scott had started his shift and didn't want to wake him.

He smiled groggily as he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

When he walked out into the cafe, he was surprised to see nobody was there. Usually that didn't happen unless...

"Shit!" 

Scott looked up at him from wiping down tables. 

"Isaac, you're awake!" He said with a grin.

"Wh-what time is it?" Isaac asked frantically, his hands shaking.  _No, no, no, no...._

"It's, uh, around midnight. Why?" Scott asked, putting the rag down and walking over to him, worry in his large eyes. 

"I-I gotta get home, that's all. My dad, um..." Isaac felt his speech faltering. 

"Hey, it's okay. It's a weekend. I'm sure he'll let it slide." Scott said, although his tone suggested that he knew otherwise. He was familiar with douche dads, he had said.

Isaac felt dizzy, reaching out to grip Scott's arm.

"I'm sorry." He said quickly, debating a hug. He really needed one. Instead, he practically ran out the door, hoping Scott wouldn't hate him forever.

\---------------------------------

The walk home made his legs burn. That was most likely due to the fact that he wasn't walking, but running. Sprinting would be more accurate.

As he entered the house, he silently replayed every other time he had come home late. Maybe his dad would be asleep. But he never was.

He tried to creep up the stairs, but he didn't get far.

"Where the hell were you?" A voice asked. The most chilling part about his father's voice was the fact that it always started out as calm. He sounded like a fairly agreeable man until he let loose. Isaac, however, would rather the man scream at him to begin with and just get it over with. He detested that fake syrupy voice more than anything else.

"I lost track of time." Isaac said, clutching the railing. 

"What a convenient excuse." Mr. Lahey said as he stood up from his armchair. Isaac tensed. Something like satisfaction flickered in the man's eyes. "Your brother is home, so he's sleeping in your room."

"Wh-why doesn't he sleep in his room?" Isaac asked, just a simple question.

"Your brother's room has been storage for about a year now. Maybe if you were ever home, you'd know that." This was actually one of Mr. Lahey's "good" moods. Isaac felt a little better, but not much. That was the only good thing about Camden being home. Usually his questions incited more violent replies from his father. "So, you never told me where you were."

"I was just on my walk." Isaac said.

"This isn't the first time you've been late. What the hell could you possibly be doing? You don't have  _friends._ _"_

Isaac felt his blood boil. He wasn't sure where the sudden surge of confidence had come from, but before he could think it through, he was right in his father's face. 

"I do have friends. I have a friend. Somebody who's done more for me in the last month than you have in your entire  _life._ " He had never spoken to him like that. His father looked surprised, but also something else that made his skin crawl.

"I understand why mom did what she did. If I had to spend the rest of my life with  _you_ , I would have killed myself too!" And in that moment, he realized he had crossed the line. It could have been his father's hands around his neck that made him sense this, but the almost murderous look in his eyes just before this was the initial hint. 

His back hit the wall hard and his feet were barely touching the ground. He struggled to claw his father's hands away, but he was unyielding. He had never seen him this livid before. And he was almost certain he would die tonight. And he thought it pathetic that all he could think of in this moment was Scott. And he felt like he needed to try harder.

With all the strength he could muster, he kneed his father. He didn't really have a destination, but he could guess where it landed. But he didn't stick around to figure it out. As soon as his grip loosened, he made his escape. He ran even faster than he did on his way there. His blood was battery acid now. The chilled air made it harder to breathe. It wasn't like he could breathe much anyway. It felt like his windpipes had collapsed. He gasped for air, but he couldn't stop. He just needed to run.

It felt like hours, but it was most likely seconds, when he finally stopped. He collapsed, feeling the sidewalk cool on his burning cheek. He choked as sobs started wracking his weak body. 

_What the fuck did I ever do to deserve this?_

That thought seemed to go through his mind a lot. But he still had yet to find an answer. 

He pounded the ground with his fist until it bled. He cried until he felt that he would drown. He never wanted to get up again. But then he thought back to that moment in his own home when he thought he was going to die. 

He had almost  _died._

And there was just one thing that had kept him alive. He wouldn't have fought back much if he hadn't known at least one person cared enough about him to mourn his death. A month or two ago, he wouldn't have cared. If anyone would have told him that he meant something, he would have laughed bitterly. He would have never believed them. Nobody cared about Isaac Lahey. 

But things were different now, and he needed to try. He could spend forever wallowing in self-pity and hate himself. But he knew that he had to try now, even if it was only for one person. Sure, he should have been doing it for himself. But for now, it seemed like enough to just do it for Scott. It was so much easier. 

He stood up slowly, trying to slow down his hammering heart. He examined his bloodied fist and held it. He didn't feel any pain until now. It washed over him like a silent wave. Everything in him slowly began to ache, growing in intensity. There was only one place he knew to go.

\------------------------

When he limped into the cafe, it felt like he had walked for days to get there. He was surprised the door was unlocked, but he didn't think about it much. He sat at his normal booth and shivered. He could practically feel the bruises forming on his throat. 

"Isaac!" 

He turned to see Melissa quickly walking to him, her hands on her mouth. 

"Are you okay? Oh my god, your hand. And..." The questions died in her throat. She retreated to the kitchen and brought back a first aide kit and ice. 

"Th-thank you..." He croaked, breaking into a fit of coughing. Melissa didn't ask questions as she disinfected his hand. It really didn't look as bad without all the blood. He only had a few major scratches. She put a few colorful band-aids on the worst cuts, a small smile on her face.

"These are still Scott's favorite." She said. Isaac took a closer look and almost laughed. It hurt too much to do so. Small Transformers covered each one. 

She looked at him for a moment and sighed.

"I know it's not any of my business... But you can always talk to Scott or I if you need to talk... If you want to talk about... this." She said, her eyes so accepting and kind that tears threatend to spill over again, but he held them back. For a moment, he considered telling her everything. He  _wanted_ to. But he didn't.

"Just some s-stupid kids, that's all." He said, forcing a smile. Something in her eyes said she didn't believe him, but she said no more on the matter. 

"Scott's upstairs if you want to see him." She said. Perhaps she was hoping he'd tell Scott.

"Thank you, Mrs. McCall." He said, taking her hand in his undamaged one and squeezing it a bit before standing up and walking to the back.

He had never really known that they lived in the cafe, but he supposed that was the best idea. He ascended the stairs quickly, realizing just how eager he was to see Scott. The upstairs looked like a small apartment. The first thing he saw was a living room connected to a small kitchen. Upon further inspection, he found a bathroom and a bedroom. The last room must have been Scott's. The door was cracked and he wondered if he should just walk in or not. He was about to give a tentative knock when the door swung open. 

"Isaac?" Scott asked, his face lighting up. But then his face fell when he saw his neck. He looked down to find more damage and saw his hand as well. Isaac wasn't expecting Scott's warm fingers on his neck. He leaned into him, feeling so tired. 

"Who the fuck did this to you?" Scott asked, not angry. He sounded scared. Isaac said nothing. 

"I need a place to crash." He said, his voice still rasping. Scott sighed and let his hand fall to Isaac's injured hand. He studied it and smiled when he saw the band-aids. 

"My favorite." He said.

"So I hear." Isaac replied. The more he talked, the more his throat felt like sandpaper. They stood like that for a moment or two, he wasn't sure. Scott just held his hand and kept looking over it. "I'm alright, really." Isaac said.

"Do you need some clothes?" Scott asked. Isaac was about to say "no", but the thought of wearing something of Scott's was something that made him feel warm inside. God, he felt like such a loser. 

He debated a shower as well, but he was afraid he'd fall asleep in there. Scott gave him a shirt and sweatpants to wear and he was about two seconds away from passing out from exhaustion. 

Scott insisted he sleep in his bed and he reluctantly gave in. He collapsed in the soft, warm sheets and sighed. Scott stood at the edge of the bed, telling him goodnight. But before he left, Isaac grabbed his arm and looked up at him. 

"This sounds fucking stupid... But um... I don't think I can sleep if you're not here." He said, his heart going crazy. Scott couldn't hide his smile if he tried.

"Move over." He said, climbing into bed with him. Isaac estimated he had about thirty more seconds of consciousness. "Are you ever going to tell me what happened?"

Isaac buried his face in Scott's neck.

"G'night." He murmured and fell asleep.


	4. Chef McCall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isaac burns some eggs and feelings ensue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I love the feedback from you guys and I was wondering what you want more of in terms of plot. Some suggestions would be nice in helping me figure out where I want to go with this. :)
> 
> Thank you so much and enjoy!

Waking up in a different bed is always weird.

There's that moment of "where the fuck am I?" and then you slowly realize that your life has recently taken a sharp turn. And you assess the situation and wonder if the change is making your life better or worse. But once you breathe in that familiar scent of Old Spice that makes your heart do cartwheels, you decide it must be the former.

At least, that's how Isaac Lahey interpreted everything that morning.

He opened his eyes and began to slowly realize he was the big spoon for the first time in his life. He felt his cheeks grow hot as he removed his arms from around Scott. He gently rolled out of the bed and looked at the time. It was only 7. He decided he smelled terrible and opted for a shower. 

Just before he walked out of the door, he couldn't help but glance at Scott. His heart felt warm when he saw the sweet smile on his face. He looked so young when he slept. He wondered for a moment if Scott had been aware of his intrusion, but he decided he wouldn't bring it up.

Once he figured out the shower handles, he let the warm water run over him gratefully. He couldn't recall the last time he had felt so rested. 

Wearing the same borrowed clothes, he walked out of the bathroom feeling clean and surprisingly motivated. He made his way to the kitchen and saw a note on the fridge from Mrs. McCall. 

_To whomever it may concern,_

_I went out for a walk and a trip to the grocery store. There's some eggs and cereal for breakfast._

_Love,_

_Mama McCall_

The small note made Isaac smile. He wasn't used to love from parents anymore. Mrs. McCall almost felt like the mom he had lost and found once again. He put the note back on the fridge and opened it up to see a crate of eggs. 

"I can totally make eggs. How hard can it be?"

Little did Isaac Lahey know, he was actually a terrible cook. 

Within a span of merely ten minutes, he managed to drop two of the eggs on the floor, almost dropped the pan on his foot, and misjudged the temperature quite a bit.

He put the egg mixture he had concocted into the pan. 

Now, one may say that burning eggs is extremely difficult. In fact, it's really not that hard to make eggs. But somehow, Mr. Lahey managed to  _ignite_ them.

He had felt pretty confident in his abilities to be self-sustainable. That is, until he looked back at the stove. 

A mini inferno was slowly gaining strength as smoke poured from the lost eggs. 

"No!" 

He wasn't sure what else to say, for he was scrabbling for some kind of container for water. Anything. 

His heart was beating about a thousand miles per hour.  _No, no, no, no._  

He quickly found a tupperware bowl and filled it with water, splashing it onto the mini flames with a  _shhhhh._ He struggled to find air again as his mind went through every possible consequence of this one action.  _Scott will hate me. His mom is going to kick me out. She'll tell my dad. And my dad... god, no..._

"Isaac! Are you okay?" 

Scott's voice made him cringe. He bit his lip and turned to face him. He felt himself immediately assuming a defensive position that might have resembled a dog about to be hit. He held back tears, knowing this was probably the end. There was no coming back from this.

"Did you... try to make breakfast?" Scott asked, giggling a little. Isaac felt an arm around his shoulders and he immediately felt relief wash over him. 

"I'm s-sorry." He felt so  _stupid._ He felt like he was going to cry even.  _Don't you fucking cry, you worthless piece of shit._ His father's voice never left him alone.

"It's totally fine. It's just a little charred. But, hey, we can try again. Let Chef McCall show you how to make the perfect egg." Scott said, squeezing Isaac's shoulder and retrieving the pan with an oven mitt, scraping the remains into the garbage disposal. 

"Step one: A clean canvas. Making eggs is like painting. But you also need a primer, you know?" Isaac's heart swelled. This boy couldn't be real, could he?

"Generic Pam is my preferred primer and you can use it liberally." Scott said as he sprayed the pan. He went through a few more steps with the same gusto, laughing at himself occasionally. Isaac was in stitches by the time he was actually putting the eggs in the pan.

"Mama mia, these are beautiful specimens!" Scott glanced at him every once in a while to see how he was holding up. Every time he looked back and saw Isaac smiling, he felt like he'd solved every problem in the world. 

When they were done, he popped some bread into the toaster and served the eggs. He looked at his work and kissed his fingertips in a gesture that said "perfecto!"

"I'm sorry I kind of fucked them up the first round." Isaac said. 

"Nonsense! I love to cook and my mom never lets me, so I should be thanking you." Scott said, shoveling the eggs and toast into his mouth.

Isaac followed suit, suddenly happy that he'd messed the eggs up. He'd never had a better breakfast in his entire life.

"God dammit, Scott! Why don't you have a cooking show?" He moaned. Scott laughed and raised an eyebrow. 

"You're my number one fan." Scott said, looking at Isaac thoughtfully before standing up and putting his plate in the sink. 

\------------------------------------

Scott just happened to be off that day. That meant they were obviously going to spend the day watching movies while Scott occasionally made orgasm-inducing snacks for them. 

"I don't  _need_ another one of... whatever these are. I think I'll puke." 

"Fine, fine. But we're watching _Batman Begins_." Scott said.

"Which one is that?" Isaac asked, sprawling out on the couch. 

"Oh god, you've never seen  _Batman Begins_ _?_ Honestly, Isaac Lahey." Scott said with exasperation. "What  _have_ you seen?" He asked. Isaac shrugged and Scott rolled his eyes. 

"Make way." He ordered, squeezing in between Isaac and the couch, his head on Isaac's shoulder. 

"I could... move." Isaac started to shift, but Scott held him in place. 

"I'm sorry, this is a cuddle movie. I don't make the rules." Scott said. 

"A  _Batman_ movie?" 

"I'm gonna duct tape your mouth shut, son." Scott said with mock warning. Isaac didn't bother to argue. He was fine with this anyway. Now he could consciously enjoy cuddling with Scott. Isaac wasn't really sure if "normal" friends snuggled or not, but he was going to assume he and Scott were just different and it really didn't matter.

\-------------------------------------

That day was one of the best Isaac had had in a long time. In fact, it could have been the best day. It might have sounded pathetic, but he really couldn't find it in himself to care too much about what anyone else would think. In fact, he had _almost_ forgotten about his father.

He always lurked in the back of his mind and it must have shown. At the end of _The Dark Knight Rises,_ Scott practically laid on top of Isaac in order to see his reaction. 

"Didn't you like it?" He asked, looking a bit forlorn. Isaac shook his head quickly.

"No, no! It was awesome. I mean, it kind of sucks that nobody knew it was Bruce the whole time... I mean, how did they _not_ know?"

Scott scrunched his nose and laid his chin on Isaac's chest.

"Something's on your mind." He said.

"Well, most of the time, yes. That's kind of my downfall." Isaac said, hoping Scott couldn't hear his heart pounding furiously.

"I'm not prying... Just... Y'know, I'm just going to drop it." Scott said as he rolled off of Isaac and onto the floor with a dull _thud._

Isaac looked down at him and smiled sadly.

"Nah, it's alright. I mean... nobody else has ever cared enough to ask me what was wrong." He said, choking a bit on the end of his sentence. Scott sat up and pulled his knees to his chest, like a child listening to a riveting war tale.  

"I've never really trusted anyone in, like, my whole life, Scott. I've always hated contact and close spaces. I had feeling like I'm trapped. I hate hugs and I definitely hate sleeping with somebody else." Isaac went on, seeing Scott's expression sadden a bit. "But, it's so odd. Because, as you can see, I'm extremely comfortable with you." Isaac said. This was big. To Isaac, this was the equivalent of saying "I love you." He swallowed thickly and continued.

"And I just want you to know that because... you're the only one who has ever made me feel like I'm safe... and like I'm not worthless." He felt tears beginning to sting his eyes. "M'sorry, it's s-stupid." He said, wiping his eyes. Scott's eyes widened. 

"Absolutely not! It's not stupid at all..." He took a deep breath. "Would it be stupid, however, to say that I've wanted to be that to somebody for, like, my whole life?" He asked, biting his lip and burying his face in his knees bashfully. 

Isaac felt every emotion he'd ever felt rush towards him like a freight train and he wasn't sure how to deal with it. He stood up quickly, feeling a little light-headed. Scott was up in an instant, his arm itching to hold onto Isaac. But he didn't. He kept his distance, letting him soak this in.

"I-I don't want you to feel like you're responsible for me." Isaac said quickly, not sure what to do with his shaking hands. He ran them through his hair and put them on his hips. He shoved them in his pocket and then just let them hang at his sides. Nothing was working. "I just wanted you to know that. You don't have t-to... keep dealing with me." 

"You think... you think you're a  _burden_ to me?" Scott sounded aghast. "God, no. Isaac..." He breathed deeply. "You're, like, the coolest person I know. You're so  _talented_ and you know the fuck how to cuddle. Jesus  _christ_ , you make me smile every time I see you. Like, a real smile. Not just a fake 'hello, can I get you some coffee?' smile, okay? Isaac, I don't want to be  _that_  guy that claims he knew somebody was important to them the second they set eyes on them, but..."

Isaac felt like all the air in the world had left. He didn't know what to say or do. All he knew was that the boy in front of him was the only thing he wanted and needed right now. 

"So, just,  _please..._ Don't think you're worth nothing and  _never_ think that I don't want you around. Because I, like,  _always_ want you." Scott said, his voice so heart wrenchingly melancholy, Isaac felt the need to put him in his pocket and keep him safe forever. But the other half of Isaac wanted to do something else entirely.

He quickly closed the space between them, not giving a damn that his mom could walk through the door at any moment. This was something he absolutely had to do. He wasn't sure if he could live with himself. _  
_

His lips made contact with Scott's and it was like slow motion. There was no spark, no fireworks. There was just intense confusion at first. But when Scott finally responded, Isaac knew he was not prepared at all.

Scott's arms circled him and held him close. So close. He felt like they would just merge into one. At first, the kiss was desperate. But as Scott realized Isaac wasn't leaving, his grip loosened and the kiss felt deeper, but more relaxed. Isaac wasn't sure what to do with his own hands, so he ran them through Scott's hair. He felt almost ridiculous now. He was so inexperienced in the art of making out, it was laughable.

In fact, he couldn't help but giggle. 

"What?" Scott asked breathlessly, smiling against Isaac's lips. 

"Nothing, I'm just really bad at this." Isaac said, his cheeks growing warmer.

"If this is your worst, I don't think I can handle your best." Scott rasped, burying his face into the crook of Isaac's neck and pressing his lips to his pulse ever so slightly. Isaac shuddered, but he felt so whole that he physically ached.

"Thank you..." He murmured. 


	5. Smashing Jars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A run-in with Mr. Lahey makes Isaac reconsider his situation in order to keep Scott safe.
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of suicide and abuse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally got around to writing this chapter. Sorry it took a while to post. :) Enjoy.

The second time waking up in a new bed is weird.

But it's not like the first time. As opposed to the first time, it's weird because you're now wondering how you made it this far in life without waking up in this manner. The concept of  _not_ having that person's face pressed into the back of your neck is elusive. You're still getting used to the smell, but it's nonetheless comforting as can be. You can't remember the last time you slept without nightmares.

And that's how Isaac Lahey felt that second morning in the McCall house. His heart beat a little faster when he came to these realizations. Everything about Scott felt extra...  _there._ His presence was overpowering, but comforting. He breathed in and took Scott's hand in his, bringing it to his lips. He felt stupid sometimes. The things he did were like things that happened in movies, for fuck's sake. But he didn't care. He didn't care because he never thought he'd be able to do those cheesy, romance movie kind of things. But things had changed quite a bit. 

He debated getting out of bed, but he decided he was much too comfortable to think about moving. He rolled over slowly and smiled when he saw that Scott was awake. 

"Mmm... Hello." Scott croaked, his morning voice making Isaac feel like sighing. Scott rubbed his eyes before stretching a bit and wrapping his arms around Isaac once again.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked, rubbing his nose against Isaac's.

"Yeah, I did... I mean, you were snoring in my ear the whole night, but I managed." Isaac said, laughing.

"I do not snore!" Scott said defensively, his nose scrunching.

"You so do." Isaac teased. 

"I'm gonna beat you." Scott said breathlessly, his hands running down Isaac's sides. His breathing hitched, but then Scott began tickling him. He hated being tickled, but it was Scott, so he could deal with it. "You wanna take it back?"

"N-never!" Isaac cried, laughing so hard he couldn't speak. 

"Looks like I'll have to torture you until you repeal your statement." Scott threatened playfully. Somehow he'd ended up on top of Isaac, straddling his hips and pinning his arms above his head. 

"It won't w-work! I cannot t-tell a lie." Isaac said, but stopped laughing when he realized the situation. He groaned. Scott had to know what he was doing to him. 

"Scott..." He breathed, the pit of his stomach burning. But before he had the chance to suggest anything, Scott pecked him on the nose and jumped off of him. Isaac refrained from cursing like a sailor. 

"I have work in about an hour. I'm gonna take a shower." Scott said, looking back at Isaac lying on his bed. Something in his eyes seemed to register what had just been going on and it looked like he was reconsidering that shower or working today at all. But he sighed and grabbed a towel before heading to the bathroom.

\--------------------------------------------------------

"Morning, Isaac." Melissa said as the groggy boy made his way into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Mrs. McCall." He replied, sitting across from her. She took a sip of coffee and set it down, looking at him wonderingly.

"I know Scott has work today, but I think we can deal without him today. Besides, I didn't get my shopping done yesterday. Do you think you guys could go to the store for me?" She asked. 

"I, uh, of course. Of course. Anything." He said, smiling. At this point, she could ask him to jump off a bridge and he would ask "how high?"

"Splendid. That gets rid of an errand for the day." She said cheerfully. She looked at her watch and stood up quickly. "There's cereal if you want some. I have to get back down to the cafe. Just inform Mr. Lazy Bones of the change in his schedule, would you?" 

Isaac nodded and she left him alone in the kitchen. He decided against trying to make breakfast again. Lucky Charms were more than good enough. If he managed to mess this up, he decided he would just leave.

Not long after, he heard footsteps from behind.

"Your mom said you don't need to work today and she asked if we could go shopping for..." Isaac started. But as Scott came into view, he stopped mid-sentence. "I, uh..." He was in a towel.  _Just_ a towel. His hair was still dripping and he smelled of Old Spice, as usual.

"Sweet!" Scott said as he poured himself a bowl of Lucky Charms. 

"Um, yeah, it's totally sweet... The list is, um, on the fridge, I think?" Isaac said, unable to tear his eyes away from Scott's damp torso. God, he felt like he was in a bad porno. Scott saw this and laughed.

"Dude, I do this all the time. I'm not putting clothes on just for you." He said through rainbows and shamrocks.

"Hey, I'm not complaining." Isaac replied. Scott laughed, but something else lingered in his eyes. Isaac cleared his throat. "So, um, groceries."

\------------------------------------------------

"Fuck, how many types of creamer are there?" Isaac asked. "And don't you guys buy this stuff in, like, bulk?"

"We usually buy the actual coffee in bulk, but not much else." Scott said, grabbing about five kinds of creamer. "One more thing..." He said, walking down the aisle. 

Isaac turned the corner and felt like dying. There, in the dairy section, was his father getting some milk. 

It didn't seem humanly possible to retreat as quickly as he did. He frantically looked around for Scott and was horrified when he saw that he was also getting milk a mere inches away from his father. He forced himself to calm down. His dad had no idea who Scott was. Scott didn't know who his dad was. It was fine. 

Or so he thought.

"Isaac!" 

_No, Scott..._

It was the first time he had ever said his name and have it fill him with dread.

"Isaac, what was on the list again?" Scott asked. Mr. Lahey looked over at Scott, but didn't say anything. His eyes looked calm at the moment. There was more than one Isaac in the world after all. But that didn't stop him from looking around curiously. Isaac hid behind a display for pasta sauce and tried not to panic. He didn't dare to sneak a look. It didn't take long for Scott to find him there. 

"What the heck are you doing?" He asked, gently taking the list from him. "I was calling you."

"I-I was in the bathroom." He said quickly. Scott bit his lip.

"Are you okay?" He asked, worry in his voice. "It's fine. I'm not mad at you, Isaac. We can go home now." He said calmly. Isaac nodded. He couldn't tell him. Not yet. 

"There you are." 

That voice made him move so fast, the scenery was a blur. He backed into the display, jars upon jars of sauce smashing onto the floor. Each little  _smash_  made Isaac sicker to the stomach. A poisonous laugh ripped out of Mr. Lahey's throat.

"My son, the loser. Really, you can't even go to a grocery store without fucking things up?" He asked, the venom oozing from every word. Isaac knew he wouldn't touch him in public. That was the only reason he wasn't running now. Scott looked absolutely shocked, but also... nearly homicidal.

He protectively stepped in front of Isaac. The pure fear in Isaac's eyes was more than enough to make him do so. Mr. Lahey looked surprised and amused.

"Finally found a friend, eh? Is this the one you were telling me about the other night?" He asked, his fists clenched at his sides. He did nothing, however. "You know you have to come back eventually." 

"He doesn't have to do shit." Scott spat.

"Restrain your guard dog, son." Mr. Lahey said, warning in his voice. Isaac's heart stopped. He couldn't put Scott in the line of fire, no matter how terrified he truly was. He put a hand on his shoulder and stood in front of him, ignoring Scott's soft protests.

"We're leaving n-now." Isaac said as steadily as he could manage. One day, he thought, he would really stand up to his father. But that day was not today. He couldn't bring himself to dig more of a grave than he already had. And he definitely didn't want to start digging Scott's.

He grabbed Scott's hand, leaving their groceries and the broken jars of sauce behind. Neither of them said anything until they got into Scott's car. 

Isaac was still shaking. He hadn't even realized he had been shaking to start with. 

"I am so s-sorry, Scott." He said, his voice trembling. Scott gripped the steering wheel, looking over at him. His eyes were still a bit on the manic side, but they softened when they saw how terrified Isaac still was. He reached across the center console and hugged Isaac close.

"Don't apologize.  _He_ should be the one apologizing. To you. Not me." Scott said. 

This was never supposed to happen. Isaac's dad was never supposed to know who Scott was. Mr. Lahey was a cruel man, obviously. But people didn't realize that cruel was an understatement. The man was a sociopath. He didn't have a remorseful bone in his body. At this point, anyone in his way to Isaac was in some kind of peril.

"Scott, I have to go home." 

Scott looked at him, confusion written all over his face. 

"What? No... No! Absolutely not! You can't go back to living with that..." Scott pleaded. 

"You don't understand. I  _have_ to. For you. I can't let him... I can't let him h-hurt you." Isaac felt like his heart was literally breaking. The look on Scott's face wasn't helping either. "You... you don't know what he  _does._ He's not just... physical. He can dig down right to the place that hurts the most... and he can twist it and twist it until it breaks and he'll leave you thinking like nothing can ever be good again." Isaac said. He looked haunted. 

"I can't just throw you to the wolves, Isaac." Scott said, his voice beginning to shake a bit. 

"I've dealt with him for this long, Scott. I can deal with him for a while longer. I just need to figure this out." He said, his voice much more level. 

"Isaac, he won't hurt me though-"

"Scott! Please. Just trust me... I had a friend." Isaac started, the memory bubbling up from repression. It was like it had just happened yesterday. It was so vivid. "It was so long ago. I was probably twelve at the time. He had come over to trade comic books. That was it. But Camden was having a party and... well, he couldn't swim. And I remember, god..." Isaac stopped, composed himself, and continued. "Somebody threw him in, I don't even remember. And he was practically dead when my dad pulled him out. He made him promise to never tell anyone what had happened... or he was going to do something awful. He never told him what exactly. But he was as good as dead if he decided to snitch. That's what he told him anyway... He never did tell a soul about that day. But it haunted him. It ate at him for years. He never came over again. But I would see him in the halls. And every time, he would look worse than the time before. He looked like he never slept. One day, he wasn't in school. That day turned into a week... and a week turned into a month..."

Scott's face had changed drastically. He looked scared, but not for himself.

"Turns out, he had swallowed a whole bottle of his mom's painkillers. The potent stuff." Isaac put his face in his hands, pressing his palms against his eyes until he saw stars. "I don't know what my father ever did or said to him, but I do know that he never let him forget... Fuck, maybe if he'd just pulled him out of the water and sent him home..."

"Isaac, I'm... I'm so sorry." Scott said. 

"Now that I think about it, it was just as much my fault as his. I never once tried to talk to him. I was too scared. Maybe if he'd had somebody to talk to..." Isaac felt hollow. 

"It's not your fault. It's not your fault at all." Scott said. "I still can't let you go home." He took Isaac's hand and threaded his fingers in his. "I would go insane worrying about you." 

"I can't make any promises." Isaac said, Scott's warmth not enough this time to make him hopeful. 

 


	6. The Note

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isaac's decisions quickly break his own heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took like forever to post. Chapters may not be updated as quickly since it happens to be off-season for Teen Wolf. Inspiration is harder to come by. But I promise I will update as much and as often as I can. <3  
> ALSOOOOO  
> I listened to this playlist---> http://8tracks.com/jadesigh/instrumentals-from-perks while writing and wow you should definitely read along with this playing in the background. I promise it's not distracting. It just makes you want yo cry, so sorry about that. ;-;

_Isaac was not sure why it was so black._

What's happening? _He thought._

_He felt around, but his hands hit cold walls immediately._

No.

_He wondered for a moment what he had ever done to deserve any of this. He wondered what his life would be like if his father had been better at dealing with grief. He wondered if he would even get out alive this time._

Oh, Scott. I should have listened to you.

_\----------------------------------_

Morning arrived much too quickly. 

Isaac felt a cold even with Scott's arms wrapped around his torso, his face buried in the back of his neck. The embrace didn't bring comfort this morning. Instead, it made him sad. It made him sad to think that he was leaving this behind, even if it was just for a little while. 

Actually, that was a lie. Isaac had no idea how long he would have to distance himself from Scott. It was the thing he'd dreaded thinking about, so he tended to avoid it. But now it was front and center in his mind, eating away at the last shard of happiness he had. 

_I'm so sorry it has to be this way._

Of course Scott could never blame him. Although he pleaded with Isaac, he never shamed him into anything. This made the ordeal even more difficult. How could you stay away from someone who could never give you a reason to?

He carefully disengaged himself from Scott's warmth and stepped into the chill morning. He didn't have much to take with him. He changed into the clothes he had come to the McCall residence in that night and left his borrowed shirt and sweatpants folded at the foot of Scott's bed. He didn't stir.

Isaac's hand clapped over his mouth as he bit back a sob. He didn't even have the courage to say good bye. 

_You're a coward, Lahey. A god damned coward._

He walked to the kitchen, feeling his heart sink lower and lower with each step towards the door. 

"Guess I can't convince you to stay, huh?" 

Isaac stopped in his tracks, whirling around. Scott stood in the hallway, his tired eyes saying "please don't go." Isaac looked at the floor and shook his head.

"I can handle him." He responded, his voice surprisingly steady. "I'll call. I promise." Scott crossed his arms and leaned on the doorframe. 

"I'm not worried." Scott said. But Isaac could see he was lying. Perhaps he was trying to make this easier. It wasn't exactly working. "I, uh, have a note for you." He pulled a folded piece of paper from the pocket of his sweatpants and weighed it in the palm of his hand. It was heavy with things left unsaid. He closed the space between them until it was arm's length. He gingerly handed the note to Isaac, pressing it into his hand.

Before Isaac had the chance to open it, Scott stopped him. 

"Um, just... read it later. It's a little embarrassing actually." He said, smiling sadly and rubbing the back of his neck. Isaac nodded and returned the melancholic smile.

"You know, whenever you need me, I'll be here. Please, don't let it get out of hand." Scott said, still not close enough for Isaac to touch. He used both hands to hold the note. He nodded and tried not to crumple it in his frustrated hands. 

_Why do you like me so damn much?_

"Do you want breakfast or anything before you...?"

_Before I leave. Before I go and leave you wondering what the hell is wrong with me and why I would want to go back to that hell hole of a "home"._

"I don't exactly have an appetite, to be honest." Isaac said, his voice finally giving out.

He closed the space, hugging Scott close. He breathed his Old Spice and buried his face into his bare shoulder. Scott quickly reciprocated, clutching Isaac's shirt for dear life. Neither of them said a word. They stood in an embrace that they never wished to end.

\---------------------------------------------

Isaac did not go home immediately. He wanted to put it off for as long as possible if he could help it.

The chill of the autumn air was numbing, but not enough to shake the feeling of utter loneliness. At the moment, he felt calm. But it was a fleeting kind of calm that threatened to knock down the walls you had built. He knew it wouldn't last for long.

The Beacon Hills cemetery, as usual, was empty. Not many people visited, let alone in the wee hours of the morning in fall. Something about the place had always been peaceful to Isaac. To others it was just plain creepy. He had heard rumors about him concerning the graveyard, but he chose to ignore them, much like everything else.

It was muscle memory by now. He knew exactly where he was going. 

At the base of a large tree was a headstone.

It was chipped where vandals had taken rocks to it and weathered from the seasons, but it stood strong. Isaac sad in front of it, pulling his knees to his chest. 

"Morning, mom." 

He cleared his throat, never bothering to see if there were others around. He didn't give a damn. His father had always ridiculed him for talking to her anyway. But he knew fully well that he was just jealous that he could never bring himself to do the same.

"It's been a rough week. I'm sorry I haven't been around lately." He said. "You wouldn't believe it. I have actually found a friend. Not just a comic book trading friend, you know... Like somebody I..." He bit his lip. 

"Somebody I love." 

He sighed and touched the cold headstone.

"I wish you could meet him. You'd like him a lot. Everyone does. His name is Scott. He and his mom own a little cafe. And that's kind of how we met. I mean... you know me. I can't introduce myself if my life depended on it. But he must have seen something. I guess I was just worth knowing. I'm not sure how he knew, but I'd like to know his secret." He said. "If I had that much faith in myself, my life would be a lot different."

He shoved his hands into his pockets, feeling the note slide across his fingertips. He pulled it out, looking over it carefully.

"I had to keep him safe, you know?" He continued.

It was so hard to justify something like that when he just wanted to be with Scott more than anything. 

"I just wish you were here...." Isaac said, his voice heavy with sorrow. That fleeting calm was wearing off. "You would know what to do. You always did."

He opened the note with shaking hands, his heart beating faster. He wasn't sure he could take this right now.

Scott's hand writing was messier than usual. He could see where the pen was pressed down harder and where he was struggling to form words. 

_Isaac,_

_Wow, look at me. I can write all by myself. I guess I can't convince you to stay any more than you can make eggs, but I just want you to know that you're the bee's knees. Even though you talk sometimes in your sleep, I'm sure I snore way more. You're super awesome at watching my dumb movies without complaining. I know you probably never wanted anything to do with me and I'm kind of a parasite, sucking you into my loser-ific world. But I'm kind of glad I persisted because I'm not sure what I would do if I had never met you. To be honest with you, I haven't been doing that well lately. I know you've only ever seen me happy, but that's definitely not the case. I try not to let this horrible monster get to me and ever since I met you, I haven't seen him. I haven't felt sad in a while. I may be sad now, but I know we can't be apart for, like, ever. Right? I sound so creepy. Anyway, please call me if you need anything. And I mean anything. If you need some emergency hot chocolate, I'm your man._

_Love you lots,_

_Scott_

_Ps: I know I'm a shit artist, but here is my rendition of us. Totally realistic._

At the bottom of the page was two stick figures holding hands with little hearts surrounding them like a frame. 

It was not what Isaac had expected to break him. 

The calm was gone and all that was left was a flood of emotion he couldn't keep back. He pounded the ground, feeling as if his heart would burst. He wished it just would. 

"Fuck, I'm so sorry... Oh god..." His sobs rattled every fiber of his being. 

Nothing had ever hurt so much.


End file.
